BUCS GET NEEDED TICKET GUARANTEE FROM COUNTY

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 in favor of a
plan to guarantee attendance at Bucs home games for the next two
years, according to today's ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. The deal still
"hinges on approval by the Tampa City Council." County
Commission Chair Jim Norman said the guarantee gives Tampa the
"chance to prove itself worthy" of an NFL team: "If this
community does not put 55,000 fans in the stadium, we are all
wasting our time." The agreement stipulates that if the team
does not draw 55,000 or more to a game, the county and city will
make up the difference -- up to 10,000 tickets per game. The
county will pay 2/3 of the cost, the city 1/3. If the Bucs only
average 45,000, the county could pay more than $1.3M. The last
year the Bucs exceeded 55,000 was '90. Last year, the team
averaged only 44,221. The Bucs already has sold 30,000 season
tickets, well ahead of last year's 23,000. The team expects to
reach 35,000 (Larry Dougherty, ST. PETE TIMES, 5/4).